Healthcare Insights
Hospital telehealth adoption by state
Across the United States, the healthcare landscape is undergoing a digital transformation, with telehealth playing a central role. Telehealth, also referred to as telemedicine, is the delivery of healthcare via remote clinical services such as phone calls, video chats, emails, and text messages. While the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for widespread telehealth adoption, the technology’s implementation across states varies. How are U.S. hospitals embracing this new era of care delivery? This Healthcare Insight dives into the data, exploring state-by-state variations in hospital telehealth adoption.
How many hospitals use telehealth technologies?
According to hospital technology implementation data from Definitive Healthcare, 78.6% of hospitals have installed a telemedicine solution. This analysis, based on data from more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals with a reported telehealth technology installation, also provides a state-by-state breakdown of telehealth adoption rates.
| Rank | State | % of hospitals with telehealth | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | 95.8% | Explore |
| 2 | Connecticut | 94.2% | Explore |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 93.8% | Explore |
| 4 | Virginia | 93.6% | Explore |
| 5 | North Carolina | 93.4% | Explore |
| 6 | Oregon | 91.4% | Explore |
| 7 | Michigan | 90.6% | Explore |
| 8 | West Virginia | 90.4% | Explore |
| 9 | Minnesota | 90.1% | Explore |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 89.2% | Explore |
| 11 | South Dakota | 88.6% | Explore |
| 12 | Vermont | 88.2% | Explore |
| 13 | New Jersey | 88.1% | Explore |
| 14 | Maine | 87.8% | Explore |
| 15 | Florida | 87.4% | Explore |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 86.7% | Explore |
| 17 | Indiana | 85.9% | Explore |
| 18 | Utah | 85.3% | Explore |
| 19 | Illinois | 85.0% | Explore |
| 20 | Kentucky | 85.0% | Explore |
| 21 | Tennessee | 84.8% | Explore |
| 22 | Ohio | 84.7% | Explore |
| 23 | Delaware | 84.2% | Explore |
| 24 | Iowa | 84.1% | Explore |
| 25 | South Carolina | 83.5% | Explore |
| 26 | New York | 81.4% | Explore |
| 27 | Nevada | 79.4% | Explore |
| 28 | Montana | 79.1% | Explore |
| 29 | District of Columbia | 78.6% | Explore |
| 30 | New Mexico | 77.6% | Explore |
| 31 | Missouri | 77.4% | Explore |
| 32 | Arizona | 77.0% | Explore |
| 33 | California | 75.9% | Explore |
| 34 | Georgia | 73.3% | Explore |
| 35 | Texas | 73.3% | Explore |
| 36 | Nebraska | 72.8% | Explore |
| 37 | Oklahoma | 72.8% | Explore |
| 38 | New Hampshire | 71.4% | Explore |
| 39 | Wyoming | 71.4% | Explore |
| 40 | Washington | 69.7% | Explore |
| 41 | Alaska | 69.0% | Explore |
| 42 | Colorado | 68.5% | Explore |
| 43 | North Dakota | 67.9% | Explore |
| 44 | Arkansas | 67.5% | Explore |
| 45 | Louisiana | 66.0% | Explore |
| 46 | Mississippi | 65.3% | Explore |
| 47 | Rhode Island | 64.7% | Explore |
| 48 | Alabama | 64.1% | Explore |
| 49 | Kansas | 53.7% | Explore |
| 50 | Idaho | 53.6% | Explore |
| 51 | Hawaii | 31.3% | Explore |
Fig. 1 - Telehealth technology implementations sourced from Definitive Healthcare’s HospitalView product. Data is proprietary and updated on a continuous basis. Data accurate as of February 2024.
Which states have the highest telehealth usage?
Telehealth adoption varies widely across states. While some states have adoption rates exceeding 90%, others have rates below 70%. Several factors may contribute to the differences in adoption rates, including state policies and regulations, infrastructure availability, reimbursement policies, population demographics, and healthcare provider preferences.
Maryland leads the nation with the highest percentage of hospitals (95.8%) having implemented telehealth technology, followed closely by Connecticut (94.2%) and Massachusetts (93.8%).
Which states have the lowest telehealth usage?
The states with the lowest telehealth adoption rates, based on reported technology installations, were Hawaii (31.3%), Kansas (53.7%), and Idaho (53.6%). States with large rural and remote populations may struggle with telehealth adoption due to challenges related to internet connectivity and technology access. Limited broadband infrastructure in rural areas, for instance, can hinder the delivery of telehealth services.
Additionally, states with less developed healthcare infrastructure may lack the necessary resources to support telehealth implementation. This includes smaller healthcare facilities, fewer care providers, and limited coordination across systems. Financial constraints can also limit the ability to invest in telehealth infrastructure and technology.
Is telehealth on the decline?
COVID-19 highlighted the importance of telehealth for delivering care while minimizing the risk of virus transmission, leading to a surge in the use of telehealth services. While the pandemic peak has passed, telehealth usage remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, and certain specialties like mental health rely more heavily on telehealth. Experts believe telehealth will continue to play a major role in healthcare, but how it evolves depends on factors like policy changes impacting reimbursement. Recently, legislation extended many of the Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were in place during the pandemic through December 31, 2024.
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